As I’m sure you are aware, the companies who market and promote hoodia patches generally make the bold claim that a patch works much better than the usual hoodia diet pills. The theory is that by wearing a patch the hoodia will slowly work it’s way through your skin before passing into your bloodstream. Giving you a slow, constant supply of hoodia all day long.

Companies selling the hoodia patch will claim that since it bypasses your stomach and enters the bloodstream through the skin, it will suppress your appetite quicker and more effectively than capsules or liquids.

These theories seem to make sense, however, there is very little evidence to actually confirm them. To be honest, there are no clinical trials or experiments into the effectiveness of hoodia patches. There are very few studies on hoodia gordonii at all.

The companies who sell hoodia patches often compare them to other patches with a proven track record, such as nicotine patches and birth control patches. People know these products work, so they presume that a hoodia patch will work just as well. Don’t be fooled! There are many differences in these products.

Both nicotine patches and birth control patches required the person to have a prescription. This is still the case for birth control patches, however, nicotine patches have just become available over the counter without a prescription. That being the case, it is important to bear in mind that you have never needed a prescription for a hoodia patch.

Any product that requires a prescription or once did has had to undergo rigorous testing and be subjected to governmental regulations before it can be marketed to the public as being effective. None of the hoodia patches sold today require a prescription. Doesn’t that tell you something?

Hoodia gordonii is a cactus like plant which has been grown and harvested in the Kalahari Desert in South Africa by the San tribe for centuries. They use the hoodia plant in order to control their hunger while out on long hunting expeditions.

The original way of taking hoodia that the tribe use is to cut a small section a few inches in length from the plant. They would then peel the skin, and eat it. This would deliver all the hoodia needed to suppress their appetite for several hours. Eating the plant is obviously an effective method of delivery so which method do you think would be most effective: taking a pill which contains ground up hoodia powder, or wearing a patch on the outside of your skin?

So I believe that all the hoodia patches out there are a waste of time, which may make you think that hoodia supplement capsules are the best way forward. This is not true! In fact most studies show that the majority of hoodia products available today are fakes which contain little to no hoodia gordonii. There are only a few hoodia diet pills which do contain genuine hoodia gordonii.

While there are no hoodia patches that work, in my opinion, I would highly recommend that you spend your money on the established and reliable hoodia gordonii diet pills which have been proven to work effectively.

The Sole F85 treadmill is getting a lot of rave reviews, so I thought I’d check it out for myself. I wanted to see what was so dynamic about the machine. After reviewing it, I see why it’s the number one selling treadmill at Sole Fitness.

I noticed right away that the Sole F85 was designed and constructed to be very sturdy. It’s made in such a solid, unique way that it will last for years-if not a lifetime. The way the treadmill has been designed has allowed the company to put some really unique bells and whistles on the machine, too.

The Sole F85 treadmill has a large running area that is great for someone who is tall, very heavy, or an intense runner. People with long limbs, or people who weigh upwards of 400 pounds, can feel comfortable and safe using this machine. It is equipped with a 3.5 continuous duty horsepower motor that easily accommodates large and/or very athletic people, and it won’t strain under pressure. The motor is very powerful, quiet, and ultra smooth.

The shock absorption deck on the Sole F85 is really nice. The treadmill has a Cushion Flex deck that will let people walk or run longer because it takes the pressure off of the knees and joints. According to many consumer reviews, the deck absorbs the shock better than most treadmills they have used.

You can’t beat the stability of the Sole F85. It is a very sturdy treadmill and the frame alone weighs 280 pounds. Yet, most people report they can fold the machine with only one hand because of the treadmill’s easy assist folding feature.

Unique features that I like on the Sole F85 treadmill include the two onboard cooling fans and the built-in speakers for iPods or MP3 players. Obviously, Sole Fitness has really put a lot of thought into the treadmill and figured out ways to make consumers more comfortable during their workouts.

If you are in the market for a treadmill, check out the Sole F85. Besides the things I mentioned, the machine has a lot of features that are sure to please such as speed and incline controls on the arm rests, a lifetime warranty on the deck, frame and motor, and a five year warranty on parts. The Sole F85 is by far one of the best deals on the market. I have no questions now as to why this machine is the best selling treadmill that Sole Fitness offers.

If you’ve shopped around for hoodia online you’ve likely read about the supposed hoodia Oprah connection. You’ve probably seen claims that Oprah Winfrey endorses hoodia or that she uses it herself to reach her weight loss goals. You may have even seen such bold claims that Oprah endorses a specific hoodia product. You’ll be surprised to learn that there may not be any truth behind the hoodia Oprah connection.

When surfing the net looking for hoodia, you may run across sites that say “as seen on Oprah” or “Oprah uses hoodia.” Truthfully, I can find no record that hoodia has ever been featured on the Oprah show. I also haven’t found any documentation that claims Oprah uses hoodia gordonii. I went to Oprah’s website and did a search for “hoodia” and a search for “hoodia Oprah” and got zero search results. Until I find evidence to the contrary, it is safe to say there is no connection between hoodia and Oprah Winfrey.

I will say there is a minor connection to hoodia in Oprah’s magazine, O. The websites that claim Oprah uses hoodia point to an article, “Diet Pills: The Next Generation,” that ran in O’s July 2005 issue. The magazine was hard to locate, but I managed to find one on eBay and purchased it. I wanted to find out exactly what Oprah said about hoodia. The article was very surprising.

When I turned to the article I saw a large picture of a San tribe member holding a piece of the hoodia gordonii plant. I immediately thought there was probably a significant connection after all. However, after reading the entire article there was absolutely no hoodia Oprah connection. The article wasn’t even written by her and there were no quotes from Oprah about hoodia.

The article opens with the first two paragraphs briefly talking about the history of hoodia and the popularity of hoodia diet pills. However, the article doesn’t talk very highly of hoodia supplements. In fact, here is a direct quote from the article, “So far, however, there’s little proof that the supplements are even mildly effective: Most contain only small, probably insignificant levels of Hoodia extract” This is hardly a ringing endorsement for hoodia supplements – let alone a specific brand of hoodia!

The rest of the article goes on to talk about how pharmaceutical firms are racing to come out with the next miracle weight loss supplement. There is no mention of hoodia at all beyond the first two paragraphs. As you can see, there is no hoodia Oprah connection at all – at least not through her magazine.

It surprises me that Oprah hasn’t started legal proceedings against the websites that use her name, and the name of her magazine, to endorse their hoodia products. I’m sure it is only a matter of time before Oprah’s legal department takes action against these websites. The truth is Oprah has not endorsed hoodia, and there is no hoodia Oprah connection.